Windmill-regulator



JAMES TRAVIS, JR., OF CASCADE, MONTANA.

WINDMILL-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,843, dated January22, 1895.

Application filed May 25, 1394. Serial. No. 512.4%. (N model.)

' exact description, terminating with claims particularly specifying thenovelty.

This invention relates to windmills, and more especially to that classthereof known as automatic regulators; and the object of the same is toprovide means for automatically regulating the speed of a windwheelmounted on a horizontal shaft.

To this endv the invention consists in the construction described below,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is aplan view showing the parts at rest. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showingthe parts in position to check the speed of the wheel. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section through the two casings, showing the means foradjusting the eye-bolt in the inner casing.

Referring to the said drawings, the numeral 1 designates the tower whichis by preference not very high on account of the construction of thisdevice, and 2 is a horizontal ring journaled upon and turning around theupper end of the tower. Rising from the ring are two uprights 3supporting a long beam 4 car rying at its rear end the main tail 5intended to stand in line with the wind and hold the wheel in properposition. Rising from the ring 2 at points quartering to the uprights 3are two bearings 16 in which is 'journaled a horizontal shaft 9 passingunder the beam at and carrying at one end the windwheel 8 which may beof any suitable construction, and at the other end a large fly wheel 20which also serves to counterbalance the weight of the windwheel. 7 is asemi-circular casing hanging on this shaft and surrounding the lowerhalf of the windwheel, and this casing has a slot 7' from its bottom atits transverse center up its front.

12 designates the tail frame pivoted at about its center at 4 to thefront end of the beam 4 on a vertical pivot, carrying at one end theregulating tail 6, and connected at its'jother end by a wire or chain 11with an eye-bolt 11 which passes through the slot 7 in the casing andtakes into one of a series of holes 11" in the bottom of a'somewhatsmaller semi-circular casing 10 mounted on the shaft 9 within the casing7 and around the wheel 8. The rear ends of these two casings arepreferably notched as shown at 13 to permit the wind to pass'out.

With this construction, the parts standing as seen in. Fig. 1, the windstriking the face of the blades of the wheel will cause the latter torevolve as will be clear, but when the wind becomes too violent it willblow the regulating 6 5 tail'6 around as here indicated in dotted lines,until it or its frame strikes the rim of the balance wheel 20 which willform a powerful brake to check and finally stop entirely the rotation ofsaid wheel and hence the movement of the entire device. Before theregulating tail reaches this position, however, it will as it moves drawon the wire 11 which will cause the eye-bolt 11 to move up the slot '7(a distance regulated by the force of the wind; and this will turn theinner casing partially or wholly up in front of the wheel as seen inFig. 2. The setting of the eye-bolt 11 in one of the various holes 11"obviously regulates the distance which the inner casing n will rise; andthese holes also serve to permit water which might fall into the innercasing to run out, whence it finds its passage through the slot 7 to theexterior. I purposely adjust the connection of the eye-bolt with theinner casing rather than adjusting the connection of the chain 11 withthe tail frame. The lat ter arrangement would hold the tail frame at anundesirable angle to the direction, of the wind and would prevent itfrom turning to the rear sufliciently to form the brake; whereas theconstruction I do use permits the tail frame to stand at right angles tothe wind and also to turn to the rear sufficiently to form the brake andsimply raises the inner 5 casing slightly above the front edge of theouter casing. Itwill be observed that the main tail 5 is sufficientlylarge to hold the shaft 9 always at right angles to the wind, and thatthe entire device can turn with its ring 2 completely around the tower1.

Any suitable means may be employed for holding the ring on the tower,but I have shown the latter as provided with three antifriction wheels17 above and three 17 below the ring so as to steady the same andprevent binding. I have also shown the main shaft 9 as provided with amiter gear 9 which meshes with a horizontal miter gear 21 at the upperend of a vertical shaft 21'; and the latter has at its lower end anothermiter gear 21" meshing with a vertical miter gear 22 on a horizontalshaft 22' near the ground, which latter shaft carries a pulley 23 fromwhich may lead a belt to carry the power of the windwheel to anymachinery which is to be driven. Obviously, however, the main shaft 9could be cranked if desired, and the power communicated from this crankdown the tubular tower to the ground, and thence to suitable machineryin the ordinary way.

30 is a cord or chain attached at 31 to the regulator tail frame 12atone side of the pivot l, passing thence over an upright pulley 32 onthe beam 4, and leading to the ground; and by drawing on this cord itwill be obvious that the regulator tail frame can be turned the same asit would under a strong wind, and the inner casing will be moved up infront of the wheel to cut off the wind therefrom and decrease or checkentirely the rotation of the windwheel. This regulator cord can be drawnupon sufficiently to throw the tail 6 or its frame around against thedriving wheel 20 so as to form the brake above mentionedthe moreefiectually and quickly to stop the movement of the wheel and main shaftwhen rotating ata high degree of speed.

All parts of this device are of the desired sizes, shapes, proportions,and materials; and considerable change in and addition to the specificdetails of construction may be made without departing from the essentialprinciples of my invention.

What is claimed as new is- 1. In a windmill regulator, the combinationwith the main framework, a horizontal shaft supported thereby, awindwheel on the shaft, and a tail frame pivoted to the main framework;of an outer casing supported by said shaft around the lower half of thewindwheel. and having a longitudinal slot in its front end, an innercasing journaled on the shaft outside of the windwheel within the outercasing and provided with a series of holes in alignment with said slot,an eye-bolt mounted in one of the holes and projecting through the slot,and a rod or chain connecting said bolt with the tail frame, as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In a windmill, the combination with a tower, a ringjournaled aroundthe upper end thereof, two uprights rising from opposite points on thering, a beam secured to the uprights, and extending across the ring, anda main tail carried by said beam; of two bearings rising from the ringat points quartering to the uprights, a shaft journaled in the bearings,and passing under the beam,a windwheel secured to one end and acounterbalancing wheel to the other end thereof, a casing carried bysaid shaft and standing normally around the lower half of the windwheel,and means for automatically raising said casing to cutoff the wind,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature on this the18th day of May, A. D. 1894.

JAMES TRAVIS, JR.

Witnesses:

J os. RIcKETr, J. M- JEFFERs.

